Cygnoid come from the planetCygnus 5. They are a cockroach like alien race. A family of them emigrated to Earth, the number of them at least able to make up the 9 person team in the blernsball game they play against the Planet Express crew. They have little knowledge of Earthican food or traditions and so make food that is mostly borderline poisonous to humans. Fry then decides to teach them about running a pizzeria. They are apparently disliked by some of the people on Earth as Professor Farnsworth responds in a distinctly prejudiced way towards them. This particular family of Cygnoids then end up being quite successful with their pizza business after coming to the attention of Fishy Joe, who gives 100,000 dollars to them for their permission to allow him to sell their pizza all over Fishy Joe's. They seem to be loosely based on a typically stereotypical view of some Italians American, as well as a joke on having cockroaches in the kitchen.